


Gifts of many kinds

by JadeEnder



Series: Altered [10]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), a darker chapter, and callous seems pretty smug, somethings happening to Maverick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-24 21:48:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20713076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeEnder/pseuds/JadeEnder
Summary: Maverick followed Callous, quite nervously, out of fortress. He wanted to ask where they were going but he knew his place wasn't to ask questions but to follow so he did. He hated it, his natural curiosity was strong and wanted to know, but he needed this position to get what he wanted.





	Gifts of many kinds

Maverick followed Callous, quite nervously, out of fortress. He wanted to ask where they were going but he knew his place wasn't to ask questions but to follow so he did. He hated it, his natural curiosity was strong and wanted to know, but he needed this position to get what he wanted.

"You want to know where we're going, don't you?" Callous asked as they climbed their wait up towards the mountains that ringed the backside of Callous's fortress.

“I was wondering. What did you mean new members for the army?” Maverick ventured, using the opening Callous had created by talking first to question. 

“You’ve seen the cages I keep in the beast halls, and all though many have been filled with light world monsters I have some further plans. What would you say are even stronger than light world monsters? Besides us of course” Callous continued as their elevation climbed higher up the mountain.

“Dark world monsters.” Maverick said after a moment his mind snapping into gear. “But how will you be able to control them.”

“The same way I created my army, I’ll simply reason with them.” Callous waved the question off as though he’d done this a million times before.

Of course he had, Callous was the strongest of the true darks, at a level Maverick couldn’t even begin to comprehend, why was he doubting the elders abilities. As these thoughts settled into Mavericks head he found himself nodding along, it made sense. After all he’d never seen Callous lose to a challenge, he’d even beaten Hyrule in the time they’d been merged. 

The elder turned as they quickly reached near the peak, the climb had seemed to take only minutes while Maverick was thinking, shaking an odd feeling in his head he looked up to see what was perched atop the mountain. A large nest and the entrance to a cave were the only features he could see close by. 

“We’re here. And I’ve got a present for you. Something I’m sure you’ll recognize.” Callous whistled loudly causing several heads of birds to pop out of the nest, they looked like some sort of cross between Keese and a nightmare, pitch black and their beaks lined with razor sharp teeth. Then from within the cave came a bellowing roar, unconsciously Maverick took a step back as another figure emerged. 

A shining crimson dragon emerged from within the cave, just like the one he’d had so long ago, almost centuries now in a previous life, quite literally. 

Callous smirked and drew his arms wide. “A dragon just for you! A perfect engine of destruction, lethal and loyal. It will be to you as you are to me. It will follow any order you issue so long as you remain loyal to me.” Pulling Maverick close Callous growled. “But betray me and he will be your downfall.”

Maverick nodded furiously and Callous released. “Go greet your beast.” 

No wanting to disobey Callous Maverick made his way over to the magnificent dragon, easily the size of a small cottage it dwarfed him in size. The dragon’s head came down as he eyes Maverick, the dark stood his ground. He knew how to command respect from these monsters and it was through intimidation. Soon the dragon broke eye contact and crouched down to allow maverick to climb onto its back.

From atop the beast Maverick could see see off the mountain to the world below, past the fortress and its lake to the villages and woods beyond. Suddenly a thought came to him, they needed to ring in this occasion.

Maverick held onto the dragon by one of its neck spines and held a hand out down to Callous. “Why don’t we take a little flight?”

Callous accepted Mavericks hand and easily stepped up as the dragon stood and prepared to take off. Launching into the air a laugh escaped him as they went airborne only his grip on the dragon’s spine, and some shadows he had shifted to keep his feet firm kept him from flying off. The feeling was intense as the dragons wings beat spiraling them from within the air.

“Surely you should name your beast.” Callous offered. “To make it truly yours.”

Immidealty a name came to him. “Hyperion.”

“An excellent choice.” Callous replied. “Now let's take this ride and see what we destruction we can reap.”

“Perfect.” Maverick laughed as he yelled for the dragon to descend directing it towards a nearby village. It swooped low incinerating the sad homes of the shadowlings with its fiery breath. Laughing Maverick and Callous flew over the ashes again taking swipes at the few shadowlings that tried to run, blood ran across the ashen ground as they took up into the sky again.

A feeling, some sort of memory tried to push itself into his mind but was quickly replaced by a single thought, why don’t we take this party into the light world.

Maverick turned around and looked at Callous who’s face held a deep smirk. “I have a present I think you’ll like.”

Maverick yelled for Hyperion to turn as they flew back into the large shadow of the mountain, as soon as they did Maverick reached out pulling the shadows over them and passing into the light world. Into Four’s hyrule a land he had once scourged. Even after all these years he could see the landmarks of that time, the fortress in death mountain he’d gifted to Vio, the wind tower where the mirror his first incarnation had come from and he’d hidden Zelda. 

“You know.” He admitted outloud to Callous. “I’m still not sure how I came back after I shattered my first mirror.”

“Oh that wasn’t your mirror.” Callous said off handedly. “I make a habit of keeping tabs on the other darks, and I think you’ll find the answer to that question quite enlightening.”

Before Callous could continue Hyperion began to dive straight towards a village, this one bustling with Lights, Hylians. Again the dragon opened his mouth and spewed fire as they flew. Callous laughed watching them burn and Maverick joined in until a memory forced itself beyond the haze and into his mind.

Suddenly he was forced to remember a dream, a nightmare his own powers had caused. He flew on a dragon just like this above a burning Hyrule, Four’s lifeless body dangling from the claws of the dragon. Regret welled up, he couldn’t be doing this, he shouldn’t. Not again, never again he couldn’t be that person again, he didn’t want to.

Kneeling down on the back of the dragon Maverick heaved the disgust at himself, at Callous, at the world forcing him to empty his stomach. 

“I think you’ve had enough ‘fun’ for one day Shadow.” Callous said whistling and the dragon flew up and after a moment Maverick felt them pass back into the shadow realm as he still knelt. A horrible but inviting thought kept running through his head. 

But it felt so good watching the lights running in terror and fire burned, it felt control. He’d never had control over his own fate but now he did, and this was what he wanted wasn’t it?

  
  
  



End file.
